Multi-purpose bed pan cushion



Aug. 13, 1963 A. M. COULTER MULTI-PURPOSE BED PAN CUSHION Filed Sept. 19, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheefc 1 Fig. 3

Anne M Goa/fer INVENTOR.

Aug. 13, 1963 A. M. COULTER MULTI-PURPOSE BED PAN CUSHION Filed Sept. 19, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Anne M Coal/er INVENTOR. M40162. BY v United States Patent M 3,100,303 MULTI-PURPOSE BED PAN CUSIHON Anne M. Coulter, Denver, Colo. Filed Sept. 19, 1961, Ser. No. 139,143 3 Qlaims. (Cl. 4--113) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in cushions, and in particular the invention concerns itself with cushions of the general type disclosed in my co-pending patent application Serial No. 796,782, filed March 3, 1959, (now Patent 3,008,153 of November 14, 1961), on which the instant invention is a significant lmprovement.

The above-identified patent discloses a cushion which is capable of being used for a variety of different purposes, the cushion being susbtantially C-shaped and hollow so that it may be filled with air, hot or cold water, or the like. Also, the cushion is provided at its underside with a correspondingly shaped flap, whereby it may be retained on the rim of a bed pan, if so desired. One form of a cushion in accordance with the present invention embodies the above outline features, but also includes various structural and functional refinements which substantially enhance the multi-purpose character thereof, thus enabling the improved cushion to be used for even a greater variety of purposes than the cushion in my Patent 3,008,153. In another form of the improved cushion, resiliently solid rather than fluid material is used as filler for the cushion, this form of the device being primarily intended for use in conjunction with a bed pan. Both improved embodiments as disclosed in the present application have been developed to a commercial" ly practical form and it is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide cushions wherein the various improvements and refinements as above outlined are embodied.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference are used to designate like parts, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of the improved cushion in position on a bed pan;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 22 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of the cushion per se, shown partly in section to reveal its construction;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan View of another embodiment of the improved cushion in position on a bed pan;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View, taken substantially in the plane of the line 5-5 in FIG- URE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an elevational view of the cushion when used as a fountain syringe or douche bag; and

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 77 in FIG- URE 6.

Referring now to the accompaying drawings in detail, more particularly to FIGURES 1-3 inclusive, the improved cushion is designated generally by the reference numeral 10 and is primarily intended for use in association with a conventional bed pan 11 provided at the top thereof with an inturned rim 12.

The cushion 10 is substantially G-shaped or crescentshaped and consists of two superposed material layers 13, 14 which are secured together along their outer marginal edges 15 as well as along their inner marginal edges 16 so as to form a compartment therebetween, in which is contained a filler 17. The material layers 13, 14 are preferably made of boilable soap resistant vinyl and the filler 17 consists of vinyl or polyurethane EJ653513 Patented Aug. 13, 1963 foam singly or collectively. Securing of the marginal edges 15, 16 may be elfected by heat sealing, or the like.

A substantially C-shaped or U-shaped flap 18 is provided along the inner marginal edge at the underside of the cushion, the flap also consisting of two superposed material layers 19, 2%), preferably of the same material as the layers 13, 14, the layers 19, 20' having their outer marginal edges heat sealed or otherwise secured together as at 21, while their inner marginal edges are similarly secured together and heat sealed and bonded to the inner sealed edges 16 of the layers 13, .14, as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

A longitudinally curved shape imparting and sustaining tube 22 of vinyl, or the like, is disposed in between the flap walls or layers 19, 2G for purposes of stiifening and shaping the tflap to retain its given crescent or U-shaped form, and when the correspondingly-shaped cushion is positioned on the rim 12 of the bed pan 11, the flap 18 extends under the pan rim, whereby to reliably retain the cushion in its intended usable position.

The modified embodiment of the cushion designated generally by the numeral 25 and shown in FIGURES 4-7 is similar to the embodiment 10 in that the cushion consists of two superposed material layers 26, 27 secured to gether along their outer and inner marginal edges 28, 29, respectively, so as to provide therebetween a compartment or chamber 30. In this instance the filler =17 is omitted and the chamber 30 may be filled with air or, if desired, hot or cold water, as will be hereinafter explained. The flap 31 comprises superposed material layers 32, 33 secured along their outer marginal edges 34 while their inner marginal edges are secured to the inner marginal edges 29 of the cushion layers 26, 27. A reinforcing or stiifening tube 35 is provided within the flap as in the embodiment 10.

The layer or wall 26 of the cushion is equipped with a filler neck or mouth 36 provided with a tethered closure plug 37, and also provided in the layer or wall 26 is a larger closure 38 which, when opened, facilitates insertion of ice cubes or crushed ice into the chamber 30. Water may be poured into or out of the chamber 30 either through the neck 36 or through the closure 38, as desired.

The material layers 26, 27 at the free end portions of the cushion are sealed together as at 39 so that they lie flat against each other without providing a space therebetween. These fiat material layers define a pair of Wings 40 at the ends of [the cushion and the wings are formed with keyhole-shaped openings 41 to receive a strap 42. The latter is provided at its ends and intermediate its ends with enlargements 43, 44, 45 which may be folded to pass through the openings -41 and thereafter permitted to flatten out as shown in FIGURE 6, so that the strap 42 spans the space between the two wings 4i and thereby affords convenient means whereby the entire cushion may be carried or suspended from a suitable support. The effective length of the strap 42 may be adjusted by selective use of the enlargements 43, 45 to anchor either the end or the intermediate portion of the strap in one of the openings 41, as will be apparent.

The cushion 25 may be used on the bed pan 11 as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, or it may be simply placed under a patient on a bed or chair. It may be inflated by blowing air through the neck 36 into the chamber 30,

k or the chamber may be filled with hot or cold water,

crushed ice, or the like. A flexible hose 46 may be connected ,to the neck 36 for inflating the cushion after positioning the same under a patient, and when'the closure 37 is closed, the neck 36 may be introverted into the chamber 30 as indicated inFlGURE 5, so that it is virtually unobtrusive. The cushion may also be suspended by the strap 42 from a suitable support, the neck 36 pulled out and the tube 4dconnected to the neck for use of the device as a syringe or douche bag, in con junction with a suitable noizle 47 applied to the :tube 46. Also, when filled with hot or cold water, the cushion may be used for various therapeutic purposes by hanging the same over the chest or bag with the strap 42 around the neck, or placing the strap over the shoulder when the cushion is to be positioned under the armpit. Moreoverflwhen inflated with air, the cushion may be used for seating comfort while travelling by automobile, or the like, and is also capable of use for sustaining buoyancy in water while While in the foregoing there have been described and shown the preferred embodiments of the invention, various other modifications may become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Accordingly, it is not desired to limit the invention to this disclosure and various modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is:

l. A multipurpose appliance comprising an inflatable and defl-atable hollow plastic body which is clavable and soap-resistant, said body being substantially C-shaped when inflated and being adapted to contain air, fluid or ice cubes as the case may be, one Wall of said body having a slot therein with associated closure means which the body to be charged, desired, with ice cubes, said one wall being further provided with a 'filler neck capable of accommodating an attachable end of a complemental hose, said neck being susceptible of being positioned and V stored in an introverted position the hollow portion of said body, the outer end of said neck being provided a'tethered closing plug, said body having free end portions provided withextending wings, said wings being provided with keyhole-shaped slots and constituting at- (caching tabs for a strap, and a readily attachable and detachable strap adapted to span the space between said tabs, said strap being provided with shouldered enlarge! rnents atlongitud-inally spaced points and said enlargeinents being selectively engageable with their respective tabs by way of the keyhole-shaped slots in said tabs.

2. A multipurpose appliance comprising an inflatable and deflatable hollow plastic body which is clavable and soap resistant, said body being substantially C-shaped when inflated and being adapted to contain air, fluid or ice cubes as the case may be, one wall of said body having a slot therein with associated closure means which permits the body to be charged, if desired; with ice cubes,

said one wall bein-g further provided with a filler neck hollow plastic body and underlying and spaced from a cooperating overlying portion of the body, said flap and said hollow body each having curved liquidproof seams and the respective seam-s being superimposed one atop the other and heat sealed and integrally connected together, the junotional connection between the flap and body being not only clavable but washable with disintectant media for sanitation needs, and a longitudinally bowed resilient plastic tube in the hollow portion of said flap and functioning to distend and urge the flap toward the cooperating wall of said body to assist in retaining the body and flap in a usable position on an intended rim portion of said bed pan.

-3. A readily applicable and removable sanitary waterproof washable cushion for use in conjunction with a conventional-type bed pan having the usual type overhanging turnedsinmarginal rim comprising a body substantially crescent-shaped in plan embodying opposed upper and lower walls having inner and outer lengthwise longitudinally curved marginal edges thereof joined together and sealed, a complemental crescent-shaped cushion-positioning 'and retaining flap designed and adapted to ass-nine a cooperating body'retaining position and having a curvaite lengthwise marginal edge overlapping the curva-te cooperating marginal edge of said body and integrally joined and sealed thereto, said flap also having an outwardly disposed curvate lengthwise edge which is free of attachment to said body, said flap being hollow and of a cross-sectional dimension less than the corresponding cross-sectional dimension of said body and conformingly underlying the overlying portion of the bottom of said body and defining and providing a limited space for reception and retention of'the intended lip portion of said rirn, the walls of said body and also of said flap being made of clavable soap resistant material, and reinforcing, shaping and shape-sustaining means confined in the hollow portion of said flap and impacting the desired crescent-shape to said flap, said means comprising a longitudinally bowed plastic tube which functions to distend and also urge said flap toward the lower wall of the body in a manner to assist in retaining same and said flap in position atop said rirn, said tube being of a length commensurate with the length of the fl-ap, of a curvature corresponding to the normal operating and cushion-retaining curvature of said flap, said tube being longitudinally bowed, of a cross-section less than the cross-section of rthe'flap and the inherent resiliency of said tube functioning to not only seat but to maintain the tube in intended seated and flap-shaping position.

References Cited in the file of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS 969,439 Archer' Sept. 6, 1910 1,715,740 Oervelli June 4, 1929 :1,77z,7s3' Sawyer Aug. 12, 1930 2,086,109 Albert July 9, 1937 =2.,481,427 Hunter Sept. 6, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 102,753 ustralia pee. 23, 1937 and 

3. A READILY APPLICABLE AND REMOVABLE SANITARY WATERPROOF WASHABLE CUSHION FOR USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH A CONVENTIONAL-TYPE BED PAN HAVING THE USUAL TYPE OVERHANGING TURNED-IN MARGINAL RIM COMPRISING A BODY SUBSTANTIALLY CRESCENT-SHAPED IN PLAN EMBODYING OPPOSED UPPER AND LOWER WALLS HAVING INNER AND OUTER LENGTHWISE LONGITUDINALLY CURVED MARGINAL EDGES THEREOF JOINED TOGETHER AND SEALED, A COMPLEMENTAL CRESCENT-SHAPED CUSHION-POSITIONING AND RETAINING FLAP DESIGNED AND ADAPTED TO ASSUME A COOPERATING BODY RETAINING POSITION AND HAVING A CURVATE LENGTHWISE MARGINAL EDGE OVERLAPPING THE CURVATE COOPERATING MARGINAL EDGE OF SAID BODY AND INTEGRALLY JOINED AND SEALED THERETO, SAID FLAP ALSO HAVING AN OUTWARDLY DISPOSED CURVATE LENGTHWISE EDGE WHICH IS FREE OF ATTACHMENT TO SAID BODY, SAID FLAP BEING HOLLOW AND OF A CROSS-SECTIONAL DIMENSION LESS THAN THE CORRESPONDING CROSS-SECTIONAL DIMENSION OF SAID BODY AND CONFORMINGLY UNDERLYING THE OVERLYING PORTION OF THE BOTTOM OF SAID BODY AND DEFINING AND PROVIDING A LIMITED SPACE FOR RECEPTION AND RETENTION OF THE INTENDED LIP PORTION OF SAID RIM, THE WALLS OF SAID BODY AND ALSO OF SAID FLAP BEING MADE OF CLAVABLE SOAP RESISTANT MATERIAL, AND REINFORCING, SHAPING AND SHAPE-SUSTAINING MEANS CONFINED IN THE HOLLOW PORTION OF SAID FLAP AND IMPARTING THE DESIRED CRESCENT-SHAPE TO SAID FLAP, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A LONGITUDINALLY BOWED PLASTIC TUBE WHICH FUNCTIONS TO DISTEND AND ALSO URGE SAID FLAP TOWARD THE LOWER WALL OF THE BODY IN A MANNER TO ASSIST IN RETAINING SAME AND SAID FLAP IN POSITION ATOP SAID RIM, SAID TUBE BEING OF A LENGTH COMMENSURATE WITH THE LENGTH OF THE FLAP, OF A CURVATURE CORRESPONDING TO THE NORMAL OPERATING AND CUSHION-RETAINING CURVATURE OF SAID FLAP, SAID TUBE BEING LONGITUDINALLY BOWED, OF A CROSS-SECTION LESS THAN THE CROSS-SECTION OF THE FLAP AND THE INHERENT RESILIENCY OF SAID TUBE FUNCTIONING TO NOT ONLY SEAT BUT TO MAINTAIN THE TUBE IN ITS IN TENDED SEATED AND FLAP-SHAPING POSITION. 